CHANDLER KARATE INSTRUCTOR ARRESTED FOR CHILD MOLESTATION

A Valley karate instructor is now behind bars accused of child molestation and police are reporting this isn’t the first time he’s been under investigation for the same charge.

Scott Alan Flood, 47, of Chandler, commonly referred to by his young students as “Karate Scott” is currently being held at the Maricopa County Jail on two counts of child molestation. Last week police say that one of Flood’s students, a 5-year-old girl, told them she was touched inappropriately by the suspect at the Childtime Learning Centers in Chandler. The girl claims Flood touched her vagina over her clothes on multiple occasions and then told her not to tell her parents. Flood is contracted to teach karate in at least three East Valley schools, including Childtime.

Childtime sent a letter home with parents Monday following Flood’s arrest on Friday.

In 2010, Flood was investigated for a similar incident at Sunrise Preschool in Tempe. In that case, he allegedly told a different 5-year-old-girl that she was “gorgeous” and “a real cutie pie.” According to police reports Flood kissed the girl on the cheek during a karate class and “tickled her butt crack.” The girl told her mother, who called police. The department says the incident didn’t meet the statutory requirement for child molestation and there wasn’t enough probable cause. They tried to pursue a charge of aggravated assault instead. The city attorney said the likelihood of a conviction was low so the investigation was dropped. Because Flood wasn’t arrested or formally charged, it wouldn’t have been picked up on a background check.

Chandler police say they don’t believe there are any more victims, but because he’s been involved with as many as 10 different preschools and day-care centers, officials aren’t ruling it out.

“He had an accusation in 2010, he has another accusation in 2012. Obviously the potential is there by we don’t have evidence to suggest otherwise,” Chandler Police Detective Seth Tyler said. There was another accusation in 1999, when Phoenix police recommended Flood be charged with “furnishing obscene materials to minors.” The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office ultimately decided there wasn’t enough probable cause.

Neighbors feel it’s unfortunate that Flood, a married father of two boys, slipped through the cracks. Angry parents feel the situation is especially bad because Flood allegedly targeted the very children he was supposed to help empower.

No bond has been set for Flood it is unknown at this time if he has hired an Arizona criminal defense lawyer.